New businesses lack one thing as far as potential clients go: Trust. The best way to convince clients to give you a chance is to offer something your competitors do not offer. You need to show potential clients why you are different from your competitors, what sets you apart. What do you do better than …
Search engine optimization (SEO) is vital for small businesses, and there is one way to get ahead of the national competition: Local keywords. Keywords are how the search engines index your web site, so using the proper keywords can propel your business. But using local keywords will put you in front of national competition. For …
Work at home moms face an interesting challenge: Balancing time with kids and time working. Productivity time can be full of distractions and flying toys from children that want attention. Which is why scheduling could be even more important for WAH moms than other home-based workers. Put your children on a schedule. Plan play time …
Being an entrepreneur is the dream of many people. The idea of doing what you want, when you want, and make a lot of money doing it, is very appealing. But that is not the life of an entrepreneur. Successful entrepreneurs get up early (I’m writing this at 5:30 in the morning) and work late. …
Inform, don’t sell. A blog can be a great business tool. But if all you do is sell you won’t get many people to read it. Inform your audience about your products and services, but do it in a way that teaches something. Give them useful information that they can take action on, but leave …
Success does not happen by chance, it takes planning. It doesn’t matter if that success is in business, relationships, career, or your life in general. But planning for success is not as difficult as it seems. There are five basic steps to plan for a successful life: Determine why you want to do it. What …
Developing a strong relationship with your immediate manager is important but remember: Managers are not looking for friends; they are looking for employees they can trust. Your immediate manager has your future with that company in their hands, but you are also a part of their future. You are there not only to do your …
Branding is essential to any business. The top three things an entrepreneur should know about branding are: Be consistent. If you have a logo, put it on everything you do. Your logo should be on your web site, your business cards, brochures, and your underwear. If you don’t dream about your logo when you sleep, …
Writing is fun and exciting. Everybody has a story to tell and there is a great deal of enjoyment in seeing it come to life on the page, unless the ideas in your mind don’t translate to paper. Sometimes it feels like the words are stuck in your throat and you look at a blank …
According to Forbes magazine, the number 3 reason people leave a job (even when they like it) is because of a vague vision. Develop a strategic vision. Don’t make your vision like a wisp of cloud; make a defined, precise strategic vision for your company. Don’t plan on 200% growth in the next 30 days. …